PPAC News Edition 2

Pormpuraaw
NEWSJUNE/JULY 2014
All work and
walk together
on one path
of healing,
learning, caring
and sharing,
creating a safer
environment
and community
www.pormpurpaanthu.com.au
22-23YaluSt,Pormpuraaw,Q,4892.
Phone (07) 4060 4105
Fax (07) 4060 4280
Pormpuraaw News was edited
by Liz Pearson, written and
designed by Christine Howes.
Photographs by Christine Howes,
staff and community. Logo design
by Shaun Edwards..
Youth to step up at Summit
“OnbehalfofthePormpurPaanthuBoard
it is my pleasure to invite you to attend
the Cape York Youth Summit to be held
in Pormpuraaw between 22-26 September
2014,” she said. “The Youth Summit is
an opportunity for young people across
selected communities to come together
and discuss issues that impact on their
present lives, and healthier futures.”
Ms Deakin said PPAC had been through
a “miraculous” turnaround over the past
12 months.
“Nowwe are thriving, everyone involved
can feel the changes in our lives as we
move forward in a positive way,” she said.
“The effect the changes being made from
within Pormpur Paanthu are having a
positive effect with our families and the
community – it actually feels like we are
moving towards our vision of having a
place where there’s no domestic violence,
no drugs and showing our kids we can
have a happy life with an education, good
jobs and be empowered.
“The young people of Pormpuraaw
recogniseissuesfacingthewholeofAustralia
arehavingagreaterimpactonyoungpeople
residing in remote communities.
“This Summit will create a space for
conversations and discussions about
solutions to the issues confronting young
peoplewhileallowingthemtogetinvolved
in socially inclusive activities from sports,
dance, art and music. Pormpur Paanthu
would like the voices of the youth of
Cape York to be heard, and to showcase
the results to the Prime Minister and
Cabinet who have generously funded
Pormpur Paanthu to establish its Youth
Development Unit.”
Support is already coming in from Cape
York Institute, National Indigenous Youth
Leadership Academy, Apunipima Cape
York Health Council, Balkanu Cape York
Development, Remote Child Youth Health
Services; and Sexual Health, Family Unit
Queensland Health to ensure that it is a
memorable occasion. Pormpur Paanthu is
looking forward to hearing from sporting
codes and other services affiliated with
Youth.
Keep a watch on our webpage,
Facebook & Twitter for more
information, registration details
and program updates as they
evolve!
It promises to be one of the most exciting weeks
Pormpuraaw has ever seen Pormpur Paanthu Aboriginal
Corporation chairperson Vanessa Deakin says.

All work and walk together on one path of healing, learning, caring and sharing,
creating a safer environment and community2
FromtheCEO’sdesk...
If you want to be a part of the revolution then
come to the SummitinSeptemberandgetinvolved
in bringing about change writes PPAC CEO Liz
Pearson...
Someone once spoke to me about ‘obsessive hope disorder’ and how
frustration is birthed out of expecting too much, especially from others.
But I think it’s time for a revolution and it’s got to come from within, not
from policy led by governments, but by the people.
It’s the revolution that creates change, common goals and ideologies.
One goal should be to take the struggles by the horns and fight together to
bring about that revolution.
It’s up to our young people to champion change, pick up the flag on the
battle field and with their resilience, their goals, their strengths, and their
talents given them by their predecessors and ancestors - including the
stories and lifetime of struggles – and create the Future.
Pormpur Paanthu’s Youth Summit will aim to showcase the talent and
intellect of our youth, and their ability to start a revolution and be the
leaders to champion change – change that must be led by them.
If you want to be a part of the revolution then come to the Summit in
September and get involved in bringing about change. Focus on your
strengths, discuss the obstacles and find solutions.
As conversations replace ‘campaigns’ young people must reduce the gap
of racial polarisation and reform policy.
The Summit is a mechanism to assist in the execution of change where
planning and conversations, dance, music, sports, and song will take place
at a local level to enable a local response to local needs and priorities as
determined by young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Transformation occurs by empowering others to take responsibility -
‘mepower’ starts with the individual and groups.
The National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy (NIYLA), together
with other regional services, are showing their support for the Youth
Summit in September.
Support is required in the combined efforts of government, non-
government and community controlled sectors, who are working in
partnership with communities to provide a suite of initiatives and
ideas;engagementandservicedeliverymodels;strategiesinimproving
thebroaderdeterminantsofhealth,andtocontinuetoinstilladesireto
learn more, growstronger – to be ‘‘mepowered’’to drive change.
Pormpur Paanthu continues to believe and hope that through
‘mepower’ and ‘empower’ techniques community members
experiencing domestic and family violence will make safer
choices, decisions and plans in the interest of their families’ safety
and wellbeing.
One component of the World
Health Organisation’s definition of
Healthis‘ReciprocalMaintenance’.
That is ‘looking after each other,
looking after the community, and
looking after the environment’.
This fits succinctly with
Indigenous world view.
The focus on strengthening
relationships and ‘mepower’
concepts within the community
serves as a central element of
Pormpur Paanthu’s change
management processes.
Implementing ‘on country’
activities to bring about change
by sustaining nurturing, healthy
and successful families, positive
community culture and a safer
community environment for
children, young people and
their families is also an integral
philosophy.
Social and emotional wellbeing is
everybody’s business.

3
www. pormpurpaanthu.com.au
Pormpuraaw News June/July 2014
FromtheBoardofDirectors...
Recently Pormpur Paanthu successfully secured
funding for a Men’s Support program.
The Corporation will work harder than ever to support
men who struggle with change in relation to the triggers
impacting negatively, and becoming a hindrance to
recovery by recruiting a Male DV Counsellor.
The position will support the community men and
youth, and build PPAC’s capacity to offer men further
counselling and social support, and case management.
PPAC is advertising for a male DV Counsellor who will
provide personal support to men affected by alcohol
and violence; and who will work with men to improve
safety and wellbeing for their families and community,
while building on their individual resilience and group
strengths.
A Men’s and Youth Group and the Men’s Recovery
Program will be implemented to support healing and
personal wellbeing. Continues next page...
Vanessa Deakin (Chair)
“The organisation feels like it has turned a full circle - we
were scratching for funds but our CEO, Liz, has done a great
job as have all the staff.
“It’s been a miraculous turnaround for all of us.
“Now we are thriving, everyone involved can feel the
changes in our lives as we move forward in a positive way.
“All our staff have been through Workplace Health and
Safety training, the fire warden training and there’s been a
lot of work done to support accreditation.
“The effect of changes being made from within Pormpur
Paanthu is a positive within our families and the community
actually feels like we are moving towards our vision of
having a place where there’s no domestic violence, no drugs
and showing our kids we can have a happy life with an
education, good jobs and be empowered.
“Attendance to our events and activities is growing stronger
and people are lingering and enjoyingwhat Pormpur Paanthu
is doing with the school and the Council.
“Safe House staff attend with the children, along with other
serviceswhothankPormpurPaanthustaffforwhattheyaredoing.
“Whatwe do nowis support change, and as Board Members
we hope that all the staff will be role models for community
members and the children out there.
“I can feel everything’s going in a positive way; this place
is being built up.
“It’s going really, really well and I hope we can get back to a
lot of things we’ve been missing so we can show our children
a good way of living.
“We hope governments recognise these positive changes.”
Janelle Menzies (Treasurer)
“My position on the Board gives me an opportunity to give
back to the community and do my small part as a volunteer.
I can see that there’s lots of good things happening and
it’s good to be part of that. It must be community driven
because if it’s driven by the outsiders once they leave it
all falls over, so community-controlled organisations like
Pormpur Paanthu needs to be driven from the ground up,
from the community members so that it can continue on in
the future regardless of who’s managing it or who is on the
Board. It needs to provide strategies that meets the need of
the community.”
Edward Natera
“There have been many, many activities and programs
run throughout the community, so it has been an exciting
time. As a Board we are looking forward to bigger and better
things.”
BJ Coleman
“We keep on going, we’ve drawn up some strong
partnerships and we hope to get more of the youth involved
in many of the programs and activities, which is good for
community.”

From previous page ->
As part of continuous improvement there are
expectations placed on Indigenous NGOs to change,
and ‘get on the mainstream train’.
As Pormpur Paanthu continues going through its own
changes and transformations a greater emphasis needs
to be directed at ensuring plans are effectively carried
out with measures to assist implementing, monitoring
and reporting aspects, while identifying problems
and solutions to tackle the complex social, health and
economic contexts at a community level.
Importantly the nature of the relationships between
localpeopleandstakeholdersoperatinginthecommunity
(government and service providers) continues to be a
priority and our efforts include working closely with
our local partners to target the closing the gap priorities
such as education, employment and a safer community.
However for Pormpur Paanthu to be the champions
of change, creating community change agents and
champions for optimum success, the Corporation
requires resources – funding and human - to review and
redevelop in order to bring about continuous change
and improvements.
As a team we are continuing to work towards
accreditation with limited resources.
At the same time we are ensuring the implementation
of strategies and reporting compliance time frames for
completion are being met.
It’s an ongoing process as Pormpur Paanthu works to
bring about change internally and at a community level
for quality, best practice with outcomes and outputs.
As part of organisational change and accreditation all staff are undertaking different
training modules, PPAC CEO Liz Pearson says.
Training targets set and met on Fridays
“On their way to higher achievements in Workplace
Health & Safety, 17 staff members now have Fire
Warden training, 10 staff are completing Certificate
IV in WHS; and 16 have completed WHS Committee
training,” she said.
Family Therapist Lenore Little said they worked on
their studies as a team every Friday.
“Friday mornings we all get together, when there’s not
community activity; some we’ll get together as staff,
our CEO has allocated that time for our study groups,
so we have them weekly,” she said.
“Then all the staff who have done the training and
just need to finalise the assessments will be qualified
in Health and Safety.
“All staff completed Management Review Committee
Trainingaswell,togiveusmoreskillsandunderstanding
of quality and continuous improvement.
“This is helping us to work positively as a team and
provide more qualified staff for the community.”
Family Violence Support Worker Meredith
Arkwookerum said it was important to make their
workplace and surrounds safe foreveryone.
“It is about what we do in the workplace
itself,” she said.
“When we come to work it needs to be
safe for everyone, not just community
people but ourselves, so we can work in a
safe environment.”

5
Ms Pearson said the proposal was in direct opposition to the
community’s call to continue investment into its own, already functioning,
community-controlled and well-supported organisation – PPAC!
“Even the name takes a negative connotation when we need
to be working in a strength-based model of recovery,” she said.
“Governments need to be funding existing organisations like PPAC
rather than re-inventing the wheel and creating overlaps. PPAC
was established by women who began the Women’s Shelter, and we have
operated out of an old donga with peeling paint and masking tape over
holes in the walls. I would think the investment should be in a local
organisation established by the people of Pormpuraaw.”
In May Ms Pearson took PPAC concerns to Cooktown’s Community
Cabinet MeetingandinPormpuraaw members ofthe BoardandCEO
have been included in several meetings with other visiting politicians
such as Warren Entsch, Billy Gordon and David Kempton.
As part of the linkages and coordination aspects of PPAC Ms
Pearson also meets regularly with regional representatives at
the Social Emotional Wellbeing Collaborative where PPAC is the
only community organisation represented at a regional level. Ms
Pearson has attended State and National events to share tools
and empowering approaches the services uses in recovery. She
learns from and has active input into the latest trends and working
frameworks affecting remote communities.
From previous page...
The common goals for local services as we rebuild our
working relationships are community cohesion, health
and wellbeing, increased attendance at school and job
creation.
These are big challenges but Pormpur Paanthu
has just signed an MOU with Apunipima Cape York
Health Council which aims to support the delivery
of a range of clinical and healthy lifestyle programs
through employees who may be an employee of both
organisations.
I am excited that one of Pormpur Paanthu’s Youth
Development workers has been recruited as a trainee
Health Worker to be based with us here at Pormpur
Paanthu.
This is a big step towards real community control and
engagement.
Both Pormpur Paanthu and Apunipima agree that
the promotion of quality health care to the people of
Pormpuraaw should encompass best practice – that’s
quality family and community-centred care – which is
team based, accessible, and client-focussed.
Building capability and capacity in Pormpur Paanthu’s
employees and the ethos of ‘mepowerment’ for
community members will help develop meaningful
careers is a priority.
For it to work government funding needs to consider
more purchaser provider model service agreements
that promote program delivery from community-
control NGOS like PPAC.
That means investing more on the ground where it
counts and not re-inventing the wheel.
The government should see its role as providing
support and funding.
This will enable Pormpur Paanthu to continue working
through a process of genuine engagement, supporting
the development of innovative preventive strategies
that reflect local conditions; and to continue a genuine
campaign of developing community capacity to tackle
the problems at the local level.
The lack of appropriate funding is leading to fatigue
as our staff work hard to successfully engage with
community while other competing priorities such as
internal planning, accreditation, quality, best practice and
compliance must be embedded in all thework carried out.
Pormpur Paanthu continues to stand for hope,
promote wellbeing instead of despair and to campaign
for reconciliation and negotiation to replace violence.
Togetherwe can change divisive policy and behaviours
that leads to a lack of negotiation and consultation.
Wehavetoturndespairtohopeandsurroundourselves
with people who can and do create opportunity.
Above: Lisa from Apunipima and PPAC Trainee Youth Worker,
now a trainee Health Worker based at PPAC, Gwenneth Clark
Pormpur Paanthu CEO Liz Pearson and the Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor and Council members meet to discuss housing,
community development and the lack of funding provided to PPAC in light of a State Government proposal to take land back from the
community to build a Family Violence Resource Centre and withdraw funding from PPAC’s Women’s Shelter and healing services.

It is hard to believe that my five weeks at
Pormpuraaw is at an end – time files, Jawun
(formerly Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships)
secondee to PPAC Zoe Lau writes.
My main mission in PPAC was helping them to
prepare relevant documentation for their auditor’s
visit in middle of August. As a Certified Practising
Accountant I was also able to analyse current
policies and support the CEO to develop policies
and procedures that would guide the organisation
in best practice financial governance. It is the first
time in 20 years the auditor has come to their
workplace rather than to their contract accountant
located in Cairns.
There are so many memories, I’m glad I had this
wonderful opportunity to work with Indigenous
people in Pormpuraaw. I believe everyone has
the ability to accomplish things, you just need to
believe in yourself. Thank you for those people
who made my secondment so meaningful and I
wish you all well.
Remember to believe yourself and nothing is
impossible!
TimefliesforCPA secondee

Board and staff were guided through their roles and
responsibilities with regard to finances including processing,
management and governance, and how to recognise and
minimise financial risk for the Organisation.
The training clearly defined roles and articulated the need
for staff and Board members to deliver a result and take
responsibilities to both the Organisation and stakeholders.
The workshop also provided an understanding of financial
risk for Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Community Health Organisations.
As a result staff gained a deeper understanding of cost
effectiveness and why good management and financial
governance ensures successful outcomes and future
pathways for service delivery.
Finance training clarifies roles and responsibilities
Board members and 15 staff from the Youth Development Unit, service staff, Managers recently participated in
Financial Training with QAIHC’s Roderick Wright and Pat Thomson.

7

PORMPURAAW
NAIDOC
CELEBRATIONS 2014
Proudly supported by:
DATSIMA
Pormpuraaw Aboriginal
Shire Council
Pormpuraaw State
School
Proudly supported by:
HACC Centre
Land & Sea Rangers
RJCP Office
Serving Country:
Centenary and Beyond
Monday 23rd
June
NAIDOC Week Opening
10am: Outside Council Offices
Join us in opening our NAIDOC celebrations
with a welcome, flag Raising, speeches and
morning tea.
Tuesday 24th
June
Family Activity Night
6pm: PCYC Hall
Bring the family along and join in the fun with
some Traditional Indigenous Games.
Daily
Dreamtime Stories and Traditional Indigenous Games (Playgroup and OSHC).
Pormpuraaw Photo Displays (AODs Building and Arts Centre).
Wednesday 25th
June
Elders Morning Tea
10am: HACC
Playgroup children entertain our community
elders with some songs and dancing, enjoying
morning tea baked by the Outside School
Hours Care kids.
Thursday 26th
June
Family Movie Night
6:30pm: Boomerang Area
Enjoy a night out with the family as you sit
back, relax and enjoy a movie.
Friday 27th
June
NAIDOC Rotational Activities
9am: School
Dress up your car and join our march from
school, around the community and back to
school. Various activities will be held at the
school for all to participate.
Damper Making Totem Painting
Weaving Cultural Dancing
Aboriginal Games Storytelling
Community Fun Day
Join us for a BBQ and an afternoon filled with
fun and Indigenous inspired activities.
Community Kinship Tree Jewellery Making
Spear Making Demonstration
Didgeridoo Painting NAIDOC Banner
Weaving Demonstration Clap Stick Making

PORMPURAAW
NAIDOC
CELEBRATIONS 2014
Serving Country:
Centenary and Beyond
Monday 23rd
June
10am: Outside Council Offices
Join us in opening our NAIDOC
celebrations as we honour those who
have served our community and our
country with a welcome, flag raising,
speeches and morning tea.

PORMPURAAW
NAIDOC
CELEBRATIONS 2014
Tuesday 24th
June
6pm: PCYC Hall
Bring the family along and join in the
fun with some Traditional Indigenous
Games.

PORMPURAAW
NAIDOC
CELEBRATIONS 2014
Wednesday 25th
June
10am: HACC
Playgroup children entertain our
community elders with some songs
and dancing, enjoying morning tea
baked by the Outside School Hours
Care kids.

PORMPURAAW
NAIDOC
CELEBRATIONS 2014
Thursday 26th
June
Enjoy a night out with the family as you sit
back, relax and watch a movie. Bring
along a pillow and rug to enjoy the movie
in comfort.

Women’ s Group

Thursday
26th
June

9:30
am
–
12:30
pm

Weaving
for
NAIDOC
week

The Boomerang area
Please come along ladies
Open discussion group

PORMPURAAW
NAIDOC
CELEBRATIONS 2014
Friday 27th
June
9am: School
Dress up your vehicle and join our march from
school, around the community and back to
school. 1st
, 2nd
and 3rd
prizes will be awarded for
the best dressed cars. Get in the spirit and show
how proud you are of your family and your
culture.
Come and see Erin at the Child Care building to
collect craft items to decorate your vehicle.

PORMPURAAW
NAIDOC
CELEBRATIONS 2014
Friday 27th
June
Bring the whole family along and join us for a
BBQ and an afternoon filled with fun and
Indigenous inspired activities.
Community Kinship Tree Jewellery Making
Spear Making Demonstration
Didgeridoo Painting NAIDOC Banner
Weaving Demonstration Clap Stick Making

Women’ s Group

Thursday
24th
April

9:30
am
–
12:30
pm

Prayer Flag Making
for Candle light vigil for
DV Prevention Month 2014

And
Community
BBQ

In this issue of Pormpuraaw News we are proud to
‘show off’ some of the events PPAC has been happy to
present and/or support in our community. This is
just a sample of some of the outreach work we have
done to promote our messages. Below and on page
6 are just some of the notices we have produced,
you will find photographs of most of these events
throughout this document.

Integrated Healing Services
Re-establishing a Men’s Group in Pormpuraaw is at the top of the list for
PPAC’s Integrated Healing Services team.
To this end PPAC has just received a small grant for
2014-2015 from Department of Communities. The
funding will provide additional support to men affected
by alcohol, domestic and family violence. PPAC has
always encouraged men to access the counsellors
available,tomeetandyarnaboutissuesthatareaffecting
their community, themselves and their families.
PPAC CEO is also working on an MOU with Jobfind to
lookatthedailyactivitiesmencanundertakeaspartoftheir
Remote Jobs & Community Program (RJCP). The MOU
will strengthen the working relationship and partner on a
number of activities for men, women and young people.
Pormpur Paanthu is looking to offer its services to
unemployed youth looking for skills and support while
they undertake training.
PPAC’s team of counsellors have also been
brainstorming priorities and strategies for the 2014-2015
Action Plan. The focus is on complying with the need
to have appropriate evidence-based practices; ensuring
client, child, familyand community-centred approaches
are culturally competent with an emphasis on health
and wellness as a key priority.
This will include early identification and intervention,
as well as enabling protective factors such as the
connection to land, maintaining spirituality and cultural
identity as key principles to our Recovery Model.
This will drive the way we work as a service and
outcomes will be captured through the right measure
outcomes tools such as the GEM Tool, rigorous
evaluation and reflective practices.
NAIDOC
Family
Wellbeing
Services

9
“Some examples of the positive outcomes we have
achieved include working together on Reconciliation Day,
National Sorry Day and the successful delivery of smoking
interventions, education and information on the negative
health impacts of smoking on World No Tobacco Day,” she
said.
“Another example was the wonderful participation on the
last day of NAIDOC Week from all the community, everyone
working together.
“We had over 200 people enjoying the day of celebration.
“All these events give us the opportunity to establish and
build positive relationships with individuals, families and
children of this wonderful community.
“Aweeklyhighlight forme is the regularMovie Night thatwe
at PPAC hold for the children and families of the community.
“And that’s working towards the same outcome of building
good relationships through inviting that alcohol-free
participation and offering alternate social activities for the
community.
“I’ve also delivered some Braveheart workshops with
children and parents which provide education and
information and brief interventions.
“They were a focus of my activities on Reconciliation
Day, Mabo Day, National Sorry Day and throughout DV
Prevention/Awareness Month in May.
“And I’ve been working with the team on the on-call roster
for the Women’s Shelter to ensure we’re always available
should women and children be in any crisis and need
counselling support.
“Our staff work with women when they are in crisis and
develop Safety and Coming Home Plans.
“We engage with their partner to establish a Safety Plan with
him also, so he learns to monitor his behaviours and triggers.
She said the Women’s Group was going strong, with more
and more ladies attending every week.
“The women get to participate in culturally appropriate
activities such as weaving, which is relevant to community
life, as they discuss the many and varied topics important to
them as they come together,” she said.
“It’s all about empowering the community and working with
them to achieve the outcomes they desire.
“We have programs here on alcohol and other drugs,
domestic violence, domestic violence counselling, alcohol
and drug counselling, family therapies, and financial
counselling and harm minimisation.
“So we have a broad skills base of staff that can provide
the support to the community in a safe and friendly
environment.
“Our team of staff communicates well together and we are
having team meetings to ensure we’re all on the same page,
not in different chapters in the book.
“We are trying to integrate quality into everyday practices.
“Overall I feel it’s one step at a time – you can’t do great
leaps and bounds; we take one step at a time, all working
together towards the same goals, which is empowering
people to live a positive, harmonious lives safe within their
community; and to increase well being through preventative
strategies in local conditions.”
Recently appointed Family Therapist and DV worker Liz Pretorius worked in Africa - where she
comes from - with children and mothers affected by HIV/AIDS.
FamilyTherapist Lenore Little said the positive work they have achieved over the past few months
included very successful events where messages of health, community safety and wellbeing had
been widely distributed and accepted by the community.
She says her work is about creating care plans and giving
guidance in good parenting that will help with relationship
and communication issues.
“It’s a privilege to be part of the team at PPAC,” she said.
“I have learned that first priority is to understand the culture
and issues faced.
“The complexity of trauma and abuse with a history of
many many years had its own challenges.
“Applying Bowen Family therapy, teaching behavioural
skills, telling stories using narrative therapies to externalise
problems, and placing the blame where it belongs to break
the barriers caused by guilt and shame.
“I invite everyone to come and see me to speak with a good
heart and I will be listening.
“Come, I will listen to you and share with you, as you listen
and share with me.
“We listen to each other - a deep listening - learning from
the listening so we can create a plan to act because ‘all people
matter - all persons belong’ - all people have their own story.
“I am passionate about helping families - mothers and
fathers, aunties, uncles and children - create ways to use
their strengths and build on plans of how we can start to give
and get the love we want out of relationships together.”

National Sorry Day &
Reconciliation Week
National Sorry Day and
Reconciliation Day were
important events on PPAC’s
and Pormpuraaw’s calendar for
the year with the opportunity
not only for all our staff to
interact with the community,
but for important people in the
community, such as Elders, to
interact with us.
The week saw events from
marches to dances, involving
hundreds of people from school
kids to families.

11
“A lot of my clients tell me their relationships
are improving and that consequently they are
happier”, Drug and Alcohol Counsellor Wendy
Cawdell-Smith says.
“One of the things we do in the program is all about
getting people to think about their actions, their feelings,
their thoughts and the consequences,” she said.
“We work togetherwith the clients to put plans in place.
We have a Wellbeing Passport, that includes the staying-
strong plan and safety plans.
“We plan with all the family including the father or
partner, other family members, and with them or older
children. It gives them more confidence to deal with the
problems that arise and it supports a reflective approach,
and allows them to take responsibility for more positive
outcomes.”
“Tools such as the Family Wellbeing Program and the
eight streams of the Oolong Program are designed and
delivered to enable the client to think about their actions,
their feelings and their thoughts and how it affects their
life, the lives of their children and family.
“It’s also about the consequences of the behaviour
being exhibited, or manifesting during periods of crisis
and being enabled to make different choices.
“Now clients are implementing some of those strategies
through increased problem-solving techniques, telling
me their relationships have improved and that they
have a lot more confidence to deal with any problems
that arise.
“So we know we’re making progress because we have
families who are getting their children back, and we’ve
got people whose relationships have improved to the
point there’s no violence in the relationships anymore.
“So we know a number of people are making progress.
Other individuals, couples and families are on their healing
journey and the staff are here to facilitate the process,
empower and mobilise clients, give people the opportunity.
“I feel the work I’m doing is PPAC’s core business, it’s
the front-of-house work which is changing people’s
lives and subsequently the family and community
around them.”
She said PPAC staff were integrating and working
extremely well together as a team.
“We have lots of meetings as part of best practice and
continuous improvement,” she said. “The Corporation
just delivered on a number of Work Health Safety
training, and Quality Improvement tools, so we know
how we can work best together.
“It’s also part of the change management process.”
World No-Tobacco
Day

Women’s Shelter coordinator Deb Hobson has only moved into her position
recently from admin support but has already participated in training for data
entry and reporting; as well as all WHS training offered to staff.
“PPAC is the only organisation in this community giving out strong messages
about domestic violence support, awareness and social and emotional wellbeing
strategies,” she said.
“We need to have funding from the government to implement and deliver these
domestic violence and harm minimisation programs to help our people in the
community.
“TheWomen’s Shelteris there to support those suffering from domesticviolence,
offering them a safe place to stay and do programs we hope will empower them -
and their partners and families - to change.
“PPAC is an organisation in Pormpuraaw helping people to live their lives
happily and keep their children safe, without the burdens of drugs and alcohol
and their associated social impact on the community as a whole.
“External organisations who come here rely on our help, knowledge and local
expertise to effectively engage with local people.
“I believe that working with other agencies can help to bring about changes to
the community at a community level, but it has to be a team effort and we must
have the resources to do what we do here, all the time, every day.”
Deb said she had watched PPAC grow in size and stature over the past year or
more.
“When Liz started as CEO there were only four or five workers, now that we
have about 22 and we need all our employees now because of the workload.
“I just hope we are able to continue to have the same service and educational
programs like workshops and events where we can continue to pass our message
on to the community.”
CEO Liz Pearson said Department of Communities plans to build and fund a
FamilyViolence Resource Centrewere in conflict towhat the communitywanted.
“IreflectonthehistoryoftakinglandandresourcesfromIndigenousAustralians;
and I see this as history repeating itself - when they want to take back more land
already taken in the first instance and control what happens on it,” she said.
“Pormpur Paanthu has
successfully managed its
Women’s Shelter for 20
years; and Healing Centre for
over seven years – now the
Organisation’s funding for
the Healing Centre will end in
September 2015.
“It’s a top down approach,
this Organisation’s first
service was a Women’s Group,
and then the women and
Elders wanted the Women’s
Shelter to keep their children
safe.
“I invite anyone to come and
see the buildings Pormpur
Paanthu has, and then tell
us that we don’t deserve to
be funded appropriately and
with respect and dignity.”
Candlelight Vigil

13
Family Violence Support Worker Maggie Koo’aga says she
and colleague Meredith Arkwookerum were there to help talk
to people in the community who might need help.
“I see little bit of progress with families we help,” Maggie said.
“We also get to help new staff with cultural supervision, on how to
work with our families too, because we want them to learn our cultural
protocols around here because there are cultural boundaries.”
Meredith said they also played an important role for the ‘fly-in/fly-
out’ service providers.
“There are language barriers and it’s important we’re there to help
external services ,” she said.
“It’s important to translate to families what service providers want
from community people. By us translating and interpreting it is easier
for all of us to work and understand, and be here for the families.”
Dealing with the ongoing effects of Stolen Generations as well as
current generations who have been taken away is an important
component of the role of the Social Emotional Wellbeing Counsellor
Sandra Wason’s work in Pormpuraaw for PPAC.
“It’s about Stolen Generation and reunification for a lot of the families who
have children in care right now,” she said. “Most of our clients are youth up to
and about the age of 30 because as young parents a lot of their children have
been taken away. Then there are adults who were taken away as children who
have just come back and started their own family here. So how can we help
them not to continue in that pattern of removal.”
She said she recently went to Brisbane to complete her Certificate IV in
Mental Health and Social & Emotional Wellbeing, and participated in a learning
workshop about trans-generational trauma with well-known healing advocate
Professor Judy Atkinson.
“It’s all tied in together and it was good, I loved it,” she said. “I like the healing
side, which isn’t much spoken about enough , it’s usually about the trauma of
removal and what happened to families when the children were taken away
and when they become adults. But this was about the healing process they go
through, which is the best part of it, I reckon because it’s about connecting back
with country and family.
“I’ve done a lot of that previously before I even became the SEWB/BTH
Counsellor. I am also on the Justice Group, which has helped me a lot. In my
role as the SEWB Counsellor now it all makes sense - it’s all connected.”

Children & Youth Services
Leadership training in Cairns has built new skills and confidence for Trainee Youth Worker,
now also a trainee Health Worker, Gwenneth Clark.
“One of the programs I’m doing is theYouth Leadership
program facilitated by the Cape York Institute,” she says.
“They build up our skills to better ourselves in things
like public speaking. It helps us build our confidence
and helps us become better at what we do.
“Itwas good because I got to meet people from different
places and share skills and learn with them.
“It helped me to learn there’s more to being a leader in
the community.
“I have also successfully applied for a second job as a
Child Health Worker trainee with Apunipima and that’s
a new thing for me.
“I’ll still be working here and based here but I’ll be
trained by Apunipima also. There’s a lot of study.
“It been good working here because I’m getting more
out my time here, from when I first started, it was all
new to me then.
“I’ve been out for training and I’m still learning, but I’m
building up my skills and that’s a good thing. I have been
sent out to do data collection and data base training.
“I have also undertaken Management Review
Committee Training, Work Health Safety Committee,
Certificate IV WHS and Fire Warden training.
“With PPAC most of my work is with young people
between 16-26, so I support the After School Care staff
with the older children and the Healing Centre staff who
work with younger people.
“I also support the Mums and bubs my age and often
work with Erin’s team in the Child Care with parenting
and healthy lifestyle programs that are fun and
educational.
“I’ve held discos during school holidays, enjoyed
organising fund raising activities and sporting activities
with different sports trainers like NRL and Traditional
Indigenous Games.
“I also organised the Candle Light Vigil, and worked
with staff on a range of activities during May which is
Domestic Violence Month.
“I helped to organise the March against Violence
and was a part of BraveHeart Training and
education, and I supported staff with the Pay It
Forward BBQ, and the Elders Abuse Awareness
BBQ and activities.
“We all work hard and work well together when it
comes to education and awareness.
“It’s be good because I need to gain more skills in
myself.
“I’m looking forward to becoming better.
“This has been a great opportunity for me, I’ve been
able to explore new things and I think that’s the main
part of being here is learning new things.
“I like working here because we do a lot of good things
and it helps us build up a better future for ourselves, as
young adults, and for the community.”

15
An integral part of the Children and Youth Services team are Youth Development Workers Devon
Tarpencha and WHS and Maintenance Worker Herbertson Gibo, both of whom work together to
keep youth busy and interested.
Devon said he enjoys helping out in the community
and supporting the otherstaff to get events and activities
organised and up and running.
“We’re keen to encourage other youth, especially the
younger ones, to come and help us out too, it’s better
than bludging at home,” he said.
“We’re keen to encourage our kids to work, and we
also work with the parole kids who do their community
services hours with us.”
Herbertson Gibo said he and Devon worked closely
together for the community.
“That’s what we’re doing most of the time - making a
good community and making a good background for us,”
he said.
“We have a team of boys on parole who come in and do
community service at Pormpur Paanthu, and we help
them stay on the right track.
“We worked hard on things like NAIDOC and if kids
are interested we’ll organise whatever they want us to.
“We want to see Elders come in too, so they can
train the young ones up, teach them traditional
things too.”
DV Awareness Month

NAIDOC

17
Ms Jappe said under the Remote Schools Attendance
Strategy the Federal Government has recently given
an injection of funds to enable the school to put more
resources behind increasing school attendance.
And it’s already making a big difference.
“It’s just been amazing,” Ms Jappe said.
“We’ve already seen more children attending school
more often.”
Pormpur Paanthu Aboriginal Corporation, the Council,
the Primary Health Care Centre, sports club and parents
have thrown their support behind the initiative.
“It’sbeenareally,reallypositivethingfortheschooland
the community,” Ms Jappe said. “There are partnerships
with every other organisation in the community.”
Thanks to the new funding the school has been able
to find and hire four new staff members who focus on
school attendance.
Among the new staff are four Student Attendance
Officers and one Student Attendance Supervisor who
visit the homes of absent students on a daily basis and
offer any help needed.
“It’s just phenomenal having the Attendance Officers
here,” she said. “They’re helping families to alleviate the
reasons why they’re not sending their children to school.
“The response has been really positive.”
She said this time last year the attendance was 76%
and now the school attendance has increased to 86%.
She also said while school attendance has been a
big focus, so has more engagement with students
and parents by way of attendance displays in the
school’s main foyer, more one-on-one interaction
with the School Attendance Officers, and rewards to
students and parents.
“We reward the children at school for really good
attendance, but we wanted to reward the parents as well
because they’re the ones sending their kids to school,”
Ms Jappe said.
“So we started an incentive that any student who had
95 per cent or great attendance would get a $20 power
card on the last day of school and anyone with 100 per
cent attendance got a $50 power card.
“It is quite a nice way to reward families and something
really practical everyone needs.”
Priortothefundingtheschoolhadalreadyimplemented
attendance-boosting programs.
“Attendance is the key to getting really good literacy
and numeracy outcomes,” she said.
“Wewantallourstudentstoperformwellacademically.”
Fantastic community support, new funding from the Federal Government and an initiative started
last year at Pormpuraaw State School, means more students are attending school on a regular basis
and gaining invaluable skills, Pormpuraaw State School Principal Louise Jappe says.
Schoolworkingwellwith community

I had one worker and we shared our responsibilities,
nowtherearesevenpart-timestaffmembersallenjoying
what they do.
All of these staff members are studying their Certificate
III in Early Childhood with one having completed her
Certificate III and now moving on to her Diploma of
Early Childhood.
CEO Liz Pearson has also supported staff to attend
additional training, and conference networking.
These women are beneficial and crucial to have in our
service as they share their local knowledge and speak
language to the children.
They also have that connection with all the parents and
most of the children as they’re related to a lot of them.
Our numbers have grown since November and
continues to grow since Pormpur Paanthu hired some
of these new staff.
Parents are more willing to come into the service
because our local staff members are talking language
and the parents are happy to speak language with them.
The barriers have been broken down a little bit more
now between the staff and the parents, which is making
italoteasiertohaveaplaygroupthatrunsverysmoothly.
We also have one of our local elders, who was very
willing to share her knowledge, come in and yarn with
the children and they like to hear about their culture,
they all love sitting, listening and learning about bush
tucker,bushmedicinesandculturalseasonsforplanting,
growing and hunting.
We have not yet started the full cultural transmission
of the children recording what the elders are saying
and turning that into books, but that is definitely on the
cards to happen.
DETE is allowing Pormpur Paanthu to keep its
underspends and hopes to buy a photocopier which will
allow us to make our own books.
Playgroup
Within our Playgroup we have previously run a fair few
programs, including the Cooking with Kids Program,
HealthyLifestylesProgramandaPhysicalActivityProgram.
We have continued on with those programs because of
their success and what we’re seeing coming from home.
We’re understanding community and local needs,
delivering the service, providing the education and
including what the parents want, what the families want
and we’re benefiting the kids as best as we possibly can.
We had a community meeting with the families and the
staff of the Playgroup to ask them what they wanted to see
within the Playgroup. One of the biggest things that came
out of it was they wanted more cultural knowledge sharing
with the children and part of thatwe’ve had one of our local
grandmothers has come in and sing songs with the kids,
havestorytimesandshareknowledgeandculturalactivities.
We have another local grandmother who wants to
come in and start doing some dance with the children
as well as some story telling.
Child Care Services
Pormpur Paanthu has hired a lot of new local staff members, which is very
exciting, Childcare Services Director Erin Arthy writes.
Right: A combined PlayGroup and Outside School Hours Care
(OSHC) project which benefits all age groups is the OSHC
Kids Healthy Recipes book. All the photos within the book are
photos of the children making the recipes and cooking.

19
Above: Childcare and OSHC staff L-R Donna Armstrong, Erin Arthy, Jill Yantuma,
Nickalah and Hannah Gothakchalkenin Absent Chrissy & Tammy Conrad
It was a massive result to see so many children dancing
during NAIDOC week activities. It’s usually the Elders
and some younger adults who dance, and go to Laura
Dance Festival. We made over 50 sets of clap sticks
and children not only painted them up, but danced
spontaneously too.
Wearealsohopingtogetmorefathersinvolved.Wehave
some attend but we are promoting a higher attendance.
This year the Early Learning Education Team has
started making some resource books in partnership with
Apunipima. We will be launching the cooking book as
part of the Healthy Lifestyles Program and Pormpur
Paanthu plans a series of books with the help of the
children attending our centre.
This is a combined PlayGroup and Outside School
Hours Care (OSHC) project as it benefits all age groups.
All the photos within the book are photos of the
children making the recipes and cooking.
The book,while being self-supporting and educational
will contribute to work health and safety compliance
in a more innovative preventive and localised strategy
that increases health awareness with children and
parents.
Some of the children’s lunch boxes are becoming
healthier with the healthy ideas we’re giving them
through our cooking program.
Their noses are also cleaner because they now know
how to blow their nose and they’re washing their hands
more regularly because they’re all in routines.
We have a washing hands and nose-blowing book, so
it has pictures of all the children taking the steps of how
to effectively blow their nose and then the steps of how
to effectively wash their hands.
Built into our program we have a physical activity
every afternoon structured for the children.
They don’t have to participate, but a lot of them love
getting in and getting involved.
We’vealsostartedaBraveheartsprogram,whichistalking
about keeping kids safe, so we’re now looking at who the
children can turn to if they’re in an unsafe situation.
We put it in a play situation, so it’s fun, it’s interactive,
but also try and teach children the dangers of strangers
and if people want them to do things that they’re not
comfortable with that they can say no, and then talk to
someone about it.
We’ve looked at getting a uniform for the Playgroup
children because a lot of them have askedwhytheydon’t
have a school shirt, that the big kids have school shirts,
so we’re going to be getting a very colourful Playgroup
shirt so each difference size is a different colour and on
the front it has an acronym for ‘PLAY’, which is what
Playgroup is all about. Continued next page...

Pics on these pages...
NAIDOC
Healthy Eating
Bravehearts
Candlelight Vigil
Vacation Care
Movie Nights
DV Awareness March

21
Transition
Pormpur Paanthu’s Transition Program is about having a
more seamless transition for children from the Playgroup
into the State School environment. The goal over the
next few years is to have children school ready and above
average therefore the Child Care, or soon to be Long Day
Care is already touching on the explicit teaching that they
do at the school, which is the ‘I Do, You Do, We Do’.
It’s not as comprehensive a program as the school, but we
implement strategies that enable children because of the
set routine applied every day.
The Children know when they come to Playgroup what
happens, when it happens, and why it happens.
The parents can also take those routines back home and
apply it to home life. The children will know by the time
they get into the school setting, they’re use to the routines
that are set at the school and school environment.
Continued next page...
Corner Shed renovations are well underway thanks
to Shane Stevens, Vernon Yip & Joe Smits. The
Shed is being renovated to include the Indigenous
Knowledge Centre, the Children’s Computer Lab
and a new kitchen for healthy cooking classes. The
HitNet Kiosk will also be installed late August and
launched at the Youth Summit on the 25 September.

Outside School Hours Care
Last term we ran cricket and this term we’ve been
running softball. A number of staff and young people
completed NRL Training, After School Hours Care
Training and Traditional Indigenous Games Training.
We were then able to implement this training to
different age groups over vacation periods.
Kids always love to be active and physical butwe found
it was a bit difficult sometimes to run activities inside
the school grounds because school-aged children really
wanted to leave school as soon as school’s finished.
So we decided that the staff, including the Youth
DevelopmentTeam,would run a couple of the afternoon
activities from what we call “the Corner Shed”, which
the kids really get a lot out of.
The Shed is being renovated to include the Indigenous
Knowledge Centre, the Children’s Computer Lab and a
new kitchen for healthy cooking classes.
The HitNet Kiosk will also be installed late August and
launched at the Youth Summit on the 25 September.
We have utilised the hall through our Vacation Care
Program, where everyone is welcome.
All of the staff within Playgroup, Outside School Care
andourYouthDevelopmentTeamcompletedTraditional
Indigenous games training in the middle of June and the
outcome has meant we’ve run a couple of the sessions
with the children.
They’ve got a lot out of stopping and listening to the
background to the Game and then participating in the
game. The numbers in attendance were inspiring.
Pormpur Paanthu adopts the philosophy that social
emotional wellbeing is connected to land which in
turn supports and promotes the social and emotional
wellbeing of families in this community.
‘On country’ activities are an integral component of
increasing wellbeing.
PPAC staff have started the OSHC Garden Project by
planting a lot of seedlings, which the kids started to see
grow.
It’s been very important to include the children in
the nurturing of the garden, and to watch them take
responsibility for its growth.
It was very exciting and empowering for children.
Some of the children actually took those seedlings and
have been growing them at home.
Elders and parents have also taken responsibility for
sharing knowledge of certain plants the kids can eat to
build their immune system and the way you can crush
certain berries.
‘Nurture our Children our Future’ has been the focus for
ourPlaygroup and Outside School Care children and soon
we will have some t-shirts and other merchandise for
parents to see our children are the future of Pormpuraaw.

23
Finally...
Pormpur Paanthu is investing in the closing the gap
priorities as part of its every day business; and as part
of reciprocal maintenance - looking after each other, the
community and the environment.
The Indigenous Knowledge Centre coupled with the
Early Learning environments will promote this the most
so we can witness generational change over the next
few years.
We need to assist our children to gain as much
knowledge as they possibly can, educating them as
much as we can to take our community further forward
in the future.
It’s all about building that social, emotionalwellbeing of
the families and the children, and build the knowledge
bank so it overflows and gains interest.
If we give the children a start here, especially within
the Playgroup environment, and Long Day Care
curriculum, and include parents through capacity
building initiatives then the skills and the knowledge
will be shared and strengthened at home.
Our Positive Parenting worker supports parents
through integrated planning processes that have
commenced with Family Therapists, AOD Counsellors
andApunipima’s Child Health nurse; and nowto include
the Trainee Health Worker so as much care planning
and education is provided to parents who are willing
participants.
Babybaskets provided byApunipima CapeYork Health
Council, including a DVD, is a great resource for mums
and bubs.
Staff also ask for, and take advice - including cultural
advice - from the families whose interest we serve and
who play a major role as cultural advisors.
If there is anything they feel we can be doing for our
kids we are happy to hear about it.
So, we’re all about sharing and gaining knowledge,
which is a two-way thing – local people’s knowledge
benefits everybody.
We are here to build local capacity to engage in change
and increase awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol,
drugs and uncontrolled gambling on children’s ability to
learn and thrive.

Youth Summit News
Check it out!The Youth Summit will showcase dance,
music, activities with various sporting codes;
and guests who will facilitate conversations
with young people.
Sponsors to date include Apunipima Cape
York Health Council, Pormpuraaw Rangers and
Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council.
Wujal Wujal, Hopevale and Cooktown music
legends Black Image Band (below) will play on the
Festival Night Celebrations on the 25 September,
along with the Sacred Creation Dance Company who
are also delivering contemporary dance workshops
during the day.
Hopevale’sIvanaGibson(below right)andYarrabah’s
Barry Cedric will undertake Song Writing workshops
and there will be interactive team building using
cooking and healthy lifestyle activities.
Left: Choreographers and
Teachers making sure the
Summit is successful by delivering
contemporary dance workshops
and performances.
SEE OUR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK
& TWITTER FOR MORE
NEWS & UPDATES!!!
www.pormpurpaanthu.com.au www.pormpurpaanthu.com.au www.pormpurpaanthu.com.au

PPAC News Edition 2

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